Alois
by RingsAkhaten
Summary: A Dracula re-imagining with New World Zorro cast. AU and M rated for sex, violence, etc.
1. Chapter 1

For some time, I've had an inkling to write a vampire story in the NWZorroverse. Roughly based on both Bram Stoker's Dracula and the movie of the same title, I'm re-imagining the tale with our favorite characters reincarnated in the principal roles with the notable exception of the vampire himself. This is AU, M rating for violence, sex, et all.

Alois

London 1897

Diego Vega's journal.

7 August.

I do not know where to begin to write of this day. In the early hours of the morning, I was summoned to offices at the firm. Mr. Hawkins, my immediate superior, informed me of the tragic fate of Jamie Mendoza. The man fell mad following his return from the distant lands of the Transylvanian region and resides now within the lunatic asylum at Carfax.

Thus sadly affected, he shall be unable to continue his ministrations in service to our great client, Prince Alois of said region. Henceforth, and even as the junior member within our firm, I inherit the remainder of his obligations. It is a great opportunity, though I am saddened it should come at so dear a cost. I am to leave at early morrow and all that remains now is to tell my poor Victoria the our wedding must once again be delayed. I hope and pray that the deferment shall be a brief one.

Victoria Escalante's journal.

8 August.

I have just come from the station and find it hard to write this as my eyes are heavy with tears. My dear Diego is parted from me again. He journeys now to a wild and distant land at the foot of the Carpathians as I linger at Hillingham, aching with sadness and dread.

Felippe hovers at my side, his handkerchief deployed at reparations for I fear I have ruined my dress and papers. He is so kind, and although he is not my brother in the sharing of our blood, I cannot imagine a warmer or fonder regard than is my daily receipt. Having dried my tears, he even now engages in amusing rhetoric and comic lampoon to drive away my ill feelings, and in truth, he has made me laugh.

So much of misfortune has touched me that I still have no trust for easy moments. I seem to fancy that they shall be snatched from me and held far from my reach even as my dear Diego has been, but constant and true Felippe is now so whimsically gesturing as to drive even these dark moods from my breast.

It is true what has been said of the harshest of times, for as joy is fleeting, so too, will this pass.

Dr. Ignacio De Soto's Diary.

9 August

In all my years in the practice of medicine, never have I known so confounding a case. Jamie Mendoza, educated man and respected solicitor, suffers a full and utter loss of faculties upon returning from business abroad.

It is true that the measures of stresses weigh heavily upon the minds of prominent men. Many are subject to fits of exhaustion, and even to fevers of the brain, yet never have I been disposed to confine such a man within gags and jacket to ward off the ravages of assaults by manner of bite.

His character itself is befuddlement, for he passes periods of almost serene calm, and reason, wherein he is given to great grief at the pains he has caused and falls to most wrenching prayers and weeping. At a seconds passing, he might then shriek and fall upon our staffs in a fearful gnawing, intent to bring forth blood. Within these lapses, his wild and widened eyes seek out the window glasses and he gives utterance but to a single word, which I have learned in the Spanish tongue, is a title.

How profound is this mystery that I cannot begin to fathom its cause. I must stop writing now, for the poor soul has fallen again to fit. I shall administer a concoction of morphia and give note to its effect.


	2. Chapter 2

Diego Vega's journal

22 August

My journey has been pleasingly brief and yet unremarkable, so little of my mind engaged that I did not deem it fit to write. In truth, my melancholy at my separation from Victoria has perhaps colored my perceptions and robbed my adventures of their intrigue.

As I stood in the doorway of the rail carriage, and perceived her small figure vanishing within the distance I was seized in the grip of some mortifying premonition which has since prayed utterly upon my thoughts. As I am due to arrive in the Carpathians within the fullness of the week, my travails beckon and I must endeavor to vanish these concerns from my mind.

I have promised Victoria that I should fully document my explorations, as now, I await the next train, I have at last found the presence of mind to put pen to paper. I must be brief, for I am to write Prince Alois in advance of my arrival that I might receive further instructions, and of course, I must send words to my dear Victoria, who I hope has fared better than I in our parting.

Victoria Escalante's journal

30 August

At last, a letter from Diego! He nears his destination, and by now, has most likely arrived. I am pleased to know that the bulk of his travels have passed without great difficulty or event, but I had hoped for greater elaboration upon the adventure itself. How I wish we could make such journeys together and I hope that after we are married, we shall have many great explorations together.

I have often thought that is saddening that my gender precludes the having of my own great adventures, but I know that Diego finds such affectations foolish. I sometimes find it greatly difficult to understand him.

I will not mention that I stay at Hillingham until he has returned. He remains stubbornly proud of his humble upbringing-and mine-and still resentful of the wealth of my guardians. I know that, truly, he fears my associations with Felippe and my adoptive parents will accustom me to privileges that shall be beyond his means to provide.

Now, I must write Diego, for this evening, we shall entertain a small group of Felippe's acquaintances, Doctor De Soto, lately of Carfax, and a young gentleman arrived from America, Gilberto Resendo.

Diego Vega's Journal

30 August.

The peaks of the Carpathians tower above and at last, I near the castle. It is difficult to write as the road is much precarious in state and the proximity of my fellow travelers negates any possibility of privacy.

We began at a small inn, which I found delightfully foreign and rustic and my comrades, an odd and colorful collection, were characters like none that I had seen in my travels. The long journey in the close fellowship of the coach has since dimmed my enthusiasm, for the men, burly and dour in disposition, seem reticent of conversation. The two ladies who grace our adventure, although as full of fine deportment as any English lady seem to possess an unhealthy fixation upon the hazards of my destination. The youngest of which, wide eyed and quaking, thrust a crucifix into my palm and bade me upon the life of my mother to wear it.

I hold it now, draped upon my papers, and will keep my given word, if for no other reason than to silence any further histrionical displays.

We are near the Borgo pass now, and it is here that I am to leave my present company and be collected by the Prince's emissaries. I shall leave a letter to Victoria in the care of the driver before I take my leave.


	3. Chapter 3

Diego Vega's journal.

31 August or 1 September

I cannot mark the date, for I am not certain how long I have slept. Some hours-perhaps even some days ago-I was put out of the carriage at a bifurcation in the road with my luggage quick to follow. My then former fellow travelers in all their genders set about in a frenzy of religious gesticulations and intonations.

I know not if they were meant as blessings upon me or in hope of their own protections, but at last the fervance ended and all grew solemn and still.

The oldest of the women then uttered some phrase in her own native tongue, and in the manner of a parting word. The younger, seeing my confusion, then formed the phrase in words of my understanding.

"The dead travel fast."

At this bizarre declaration, the coach then passed into the falling darkness and I thought for a moment that I should pursue it and wave it back. I had only an instant to contemplate my fate, alone in the dark and wild countryside for a great clamour of horses rose up upon the second of the roads. A great and somewhat glistening carriage emerged from the shadows of the forested path, roaring toward me with considerable alacrity.

Within the span of what seemed only seconds, I found myself within. The driver, a slightly built man in an elaborate yet feralistic helmet seemed possessed of considerable strength and agility of reflex. He ascended to his perch atop the mighty conveyance in one great bound, and my luggages about his back. With little pause, we erupted into frenetic pace upon a journey so perilous that I was given to pull the curtain and conceal my view. The road, if it could be called so, made our previous route seem pristine by comparison. I was jostled and thrown fully from my seat on several occasions, the last of which seemed to signal our arrival.

Somewhat shaken, I waited some time upon the driver before at last exiting of my own accord. About me stretched the ancient and broken battlements of what once must have been a formidable edifice, but the moonlight allowed me no deeper observations, and as of this writing, I have yet to go abroad upon the place in the full of the daylight.

Before me, there appeared a large and heavy wooden closure in the manner of a door, but it held neither handle nor knocker and I was unaware of any cord which might suggest a bell. As I stood, gathering my breath and pondering this mystery, there rose up a great sound, as in the manner of a rising drawbridge, and the door, as I then knew it to be, swung fully open to admit me.

Within the opening stood the slight form of an elderly man with a well-trimmed beard and mustache. His garments were vaguely Germanic, a coat of heavy velvet with a light colored fur serving as a trim and form-fitting trousers which descended into tall leather boots. His long, white hair was streaked with small, shimmering threads which suggested it might have once been of some golden shade.

He held in his right hand an ancient silver lamp and his left beckoned me in with a courtly gesture as he spoke, in excellent, but oddly intonated English.

"Welcome to my home. Enter freely and leave some of the joy you shall bring." He then bowed slightly at the waist and gripped my hand with a firmness that belied his age.

"I am Prince Alois. Please come in, my friend, for the night is cold and you must eat and rest." At this he placed his lamp in a slot upon the wall, and took up my luggage in his own care. It did not seem polite to allow such an act, but I did not wish to offend what might have been some customary act of receiving. The Prince must have sensed my uncertainty, for he assured me that he would hear of no protestations and by manner of explanation, he informed me that the late hour had rendered his staffs unavailable to see to my comforts.

As he spoke, we passed through many long and bleakly oppressive halls, and I felt my mood deepening, but at last, he threw upon a great door and I rejoiced to see the warm and golden light of a welcoming fire. The room within was bedecked with candles and a large table upon which a supper had been laid out. Beyond, another well-lit chamber extended and within, another fire and a great, ornate bed, the very one I now lay and write upon.

I made a brief toilet as the Prince tended my luggage and thus refreshened, I emerged from the bathing suite with a great appetite. I dined quite ravenously and unaccompanied, as my host demurred from the event, having earlier partaken. He did linger for the coarse to entertain me by making inquiry about my journey and in better spirits and clearer in mind, I had greater opportunity to observe him.

His face is well-made, and in the flower of youth, must have been rather striking. His eyes, less touched by time, still held some measure of allure by the intensity of their blue shade. His smile, although pleasant in its shape, was somewhat too assured and I thought fainting mocking at the time. Victoria would no doubt remind me that this an illusion brought about by my prejudice against those of high station, but the manner of the man also hints at some advantage held above me.

I must have fallen silent as I ruminated upon these observations, for at that moment, the Prince rose and said.

"My dear friend, I have kept you too long. No doubt you are tired, tomorrow, sleep as late as you will. I have some small business which shall engage me until the evening. I bade you sleep well and dream well."

On that note, I had some cause to feel guilty of my earlier imaginings and plied my host with the fullness of my gratitude which he received with a courtly bow before parting. At the door, he lingered briefly and in the posture of attentiveness to some distant event. It was then my ears perceived the dreadful and intermingled sounds of animals, baying in chorus. The sad, lonely tapestry of evocation, coupled with thoughts of my faraway Victoria settled upon my mind in a cast of appalling gloom. My host, however, seemed to find pleasure in the dissonance, for again the slow and assured smile barred his fine, white teeth.

"My children." he said and at this, he sighed. "What a music they make."

In the wake of this parting, I fell seized with great doubt and fear. Sleep did not come; and for how long I do not know as even now, having at last slept, I am uncertain of how long I have lain. My faithful watch has not been wound, and I fear that I have a lost a day, I shall ask the Prince when next I see him.


	4. Chapter 4

Diego Vega's journal.

1 September

My lost day has been found. I do not know what was the architect of my odd temporal confusions, but so affected was I by the strange experiences of my arrival that I can only imagine such distress was the root of my difficulties.

So great has been my confabulations, that I had neglected to seek the Prince's council upon with liberties that I might have in his service and in the lapse found myself somewhat incapacitated.

I knew not if I might be expected to remain within my rooms until tended upon or summoned, or if I may have the freedom to roam the castle or to seek audience. Thusly, I passed some period of time in leisure and unattended until I chanced to hear the great sound the heralded the opening of the outer door. In as much time which had seemed to pass in our earlier journey, the door to my room presently opened and the Prince entered.

He offered much in the way of apologies and indicated that his own day's adventures had brought some delay to our interactions and set about at once to see to my comforts. The man again declined to sup himself but was eager to see me well-applied, and in this way, I had opportunity to broach the subject of my odd confusions to which the Prince gave a most irregular response.

"It has been a great many years since I had occasion to mark the hours and the minutes of the days, my friend."

It was at this that it occurred to me that I seen nothing about the house to mark the time, nor in fact, had I yet seen any window glasses so that one might discern the passing hours by the light. The Prince seemed to note my observations for he then added.

"I know the passing of time only in the measure of the sun's risings. Since you have come to me, I have known but one. Now, my friend," And at this he rose with a great courtly flourish of gesture. "It is time that you may learn of my great home."

It passed then, that we journeyed the great the old construction at length. It was, indeed very ancient and not in the best of repairs, yet the furnishing, though somewhat sparse was lavish and oddly, not all of a Germanic flavor. Many of the fabrics bore designs which seemed Spanish in their origins and within the vast library too, were many books in the tongue, as well as those of both English and German language.

In time, we were delivered to mighty hall with fine portraits and immense window glasses, by which I learned that the fortress set upon the edge of a great precipice.

In the fading light-for the day had nearly passed- I beheld beyond and below, the shadows of a magnificent forest and the bright sparkling of a great river which wound about within many deep gorges. So affected was I by this great spectacle, that for a time I neglected my host to linger before the glasses as the man himself remained somewhat distant within the rooms few shadowed places. By manner of apology at my failings, I remarked upon the portraits, in particular the most recent, that of a man whom, by his resemblance, must assuredly have been an ancestor, if not the very man himself. Both men shared the same color of eyes and the golden hair which was still suggested in the Prince's, but the most striking of the resemblance I found in the smile, which though my Victoria will argue, I still considered to be bordering upon insufferable.

Again, I felt certain the man had divined my thoughts, for an instant his eyes seemed to narrow and catch light in a manner which might be of malice, but it passed so quickly that I am now uncertain if it was there at all.

We passed the night's remainder within the library in perusal of the documents I had borne from London on his behalf and in the regarding of the various maps of the properties he wished to procure. In truth, I did not consider the house he favored to be entirely suitable, for its state was not unlike his present accommodations, but at my protestations, he fully assured me that he desired such a home, and could not find a newer house agreeable.

I did not press him further, for he seemed to lapse into reverie, then rousing, fixed his great, bright eyes upon me and asked if I was of a mind to believe in destiny. I could fashion no reply, and in fact, was so flummoxed as to inadvertently overturn the contents of my case, showering the floor in inks and papers. The Prince graciously aided in the salvage and recollection of the documents, and upon seeing my photograph of Victoria, he gathered it up most tenderly, saving it entirely from the spill.

For a time, he gazed upon it, and then returned it to my grasp, his voice most oddly softened.

"Here my friend, is your treasure. It is surely the happiest of men who has found true love." Though I had previously had cause to doubt his sincerity, he seemed to me to be greatly affected and after a moment, he rose and excused himself.

I had then the presence of mind to inquire of my liberties and his reply again gave me pause.

"You may go anywhere that you will, save where the doors are found to be locked. There are reasons that they be so, and though I believe you shall find it strange you must know that the ways of this land are not as yours."


	5. Chapter 5

Victoria Escalante's journal.

1 September

We have passed a fine night and day in the company of Felipe's fellows. Dr. De Soto, who I had previously only known from correspondence, is a tall and heavily made man, with a great shock of white curly hair and at first, I did not care for his manner at all.

Like Diego, he does not seem fond of a woman's free thoughts. He seemed greatly amused by the fact that I had a situation of my own, and by my wish to carry on in my employments after I am married.

It is often disheartening to know of how many men that think ill of women's minds, and the fact that no less than a man of medicine could hold such prejudice offends me deeply. I could not find it in my heart to truly dislike him, for I know he has shown such great kindness and cares to Felipe in my absences at my works, and in the ministering to his many bouts of ill health.

The younger man, late of America, is quite tall and well made. He was most heartening in that his regard for women's talents could not be higher. I learned that his Mother, who had sadly recently passed from him, had served as a source of much guidance and wisdom throughout his days and he seemed most engaged and even eager to know my thoughts on many things.

We spoke then of the ways of business, as I know well from my own occupation as Mistress of my school, and also of politics, which my Diego has most aggravatingly deemed an unsuitable topic for a lady. De Soto seemed to marvel at my opinions, fixing me with a keen gaze and clapping his great hands together in the manner of a man amused by his pet's favorite performance, but Gilberto, as I may now call him, listened and even debated with me at length upon the subject.

He is so kind and likeable, and I hope Felipe will continue to share and deepen this acquaintance.

I found my bed very late, for the hours passed quickly in such good companionship. This afternoon, we shall, all of us in company attend a matinee and I am suspicious of Felipe's motives as he has collected tickets in such a way that I shall sat beside Gilberto. I sometimes wonder if my brother doubts my match with Diego, for he is always eager that I should meet his friends. In truth, I often wonder if my small resentments of Diego's attitudes will deepen with the passage of time and that after we have married, if I shall be less likely to wish to please his whims. Perhaps I should be happier and better served if I could love such a man as Gilberto, but I believe such a thing is impossible. I am so enfettered to Diego that he seems almost an extension of my own being, but these thoughts deepen my ache for him in our parting, so I must put them from mind.


End file.
